When Texas Grows, Put the Water Plan on the Same Page

A development can be announced in a day. Water infrastructure takes planning, design, financing, and construction. My view is simple: the water plan belongs in the same conversation as the growth plan from the beginning.

Ask the capacity question early

Before a community approves or promotes major growth, residents should be able to ask where the water will come from, whether treatment and delivery systems can support it, when improvements are expected, and who will pay. Those questions should be answered in public with the assumptions clearly shown.

The Texas Water Development Board's 2027 State Water Plan, adopted in July 2026, draws on regional planning and identifies strategies and projects with projected costs and sponsors. The board also publishes population and water-demand projections. These are planning resources, not a guarantee that every project is funded or built.

Make growth help pay for growth

Here is my proposal, not a description of a law already in force: when new development creates a need for added water capacity, its planning and financing should reflect that added demand. The details should be transparent and fair, with room to examine conservation, reuse, storage, treatment, and delivery improvements before selecting a project. Existing households should be able to see how costs are allocated and why.

Texas does not have to treat growth and water security as opposing goals. A good plan can welcome new homes and businesses while showing the pipe, the source, the timetable, and the funding. If one of those pieces is missing, the public deserves to know before the ribbon is cut.

What water question should your city answer before its next big project moves ahead?